2018 Volkswagen Atlas Problems And Complaints

2018 Volkswagen Atlas User Complaints and Problems

Mechanical problems:

• There have been multiple complaints about the car having coolant leak issues. Some cars have been diagnosed with faulty water pumps, head gaskets, and so on. The failure reoccurs in most cases.
• Another area where the engine has raised complaints seems to be the securing clips being missing and metal debris being inside the engine. This leads to complete engine failure.
• Many cars have been identified with a steering problem. The issue is with the steering module which is dangerous while driving as the steering becomes inoperable.
• Fuel pump problems have affected so many owners. The engine responds by shutting down completely and sometimes there is a fuel smell emitted. Few owners have reported fuel injector failures and this is a very expensive part.
• Many consumers have reported problems with the starter motor of the car as well. It fails to start the car properly. Other small failures include catalytic converter problems.
• Several cars have reported brake problems including booster failures, grinding noises, inconsistent assistance on the brake pedal, parking brake issues, and so on.
• The suspension system of the car has also generated a few complaints and one of them has been fixed through recalls. The wheel wells being warped, springs being faulty, and so on are the common problems.

Electrical system problems:

• Multiple owners have issued complaints regarding the battery of the car failing.
• The door locks are a known problem area as they try to unlock while the car is in motion.
• Very few complaints have been about the driver's visor light flickering.
• Many owners have complained that the car randomly puts itself into emergency mode and that they cannot drive the car properly. This is one of the top VW Atlas transmission problems.
• One owner has complained that the vehicle does not remain in Eco mode and shifts out constantly. Meanwhile, the digital display shuts down randomly and there are multiple suspension noises.

Exterior problems:

• Few owners have complained that the headlights and fog lights sometimes failed to function.

Safety problems:

• There have been multiple complaints about the airbags of the vehicle. In some cases, they failed to deploy during accidents and have resulted in grave injuries. In other cases, there is a warning light issued in the instrument cluster. In many cases, the complaint has been regarding the lethargic attitude in carrying out the VW Atlas recall.
• The emergency braking on the car also activates without any object in the front and thus causing rear-end collisions.
• There have been complaints regarding the blind spot awareness being erratic in terms of its functioning.
• The seatbelt buckle recall has generated a lot of complaints because owners have found out the hard way that several child seats are not compatible and the company sometimes takes too long to respond to these complaints with the Atlas recall.

Interior problems:

• There have been some complaints about the sunroof leaking water into the cabin. It also causes mold to form on the roof.
• The seats are a common area for complaints and they have problems with the fitment, actuation, etc.

2018 Volkswagen Atlas Recalls

S. No.	Date	NHTSA Campaign Number	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks	Remedy
1	February 16, 2022	22V102000	Produced GVWR label missing	The gross vehicle weight rating was a belt incorrectly, thus failing to comply with the FMVSS regulations	Dealers will replace the GVWR label.
2	May 5, 2021	21V321000	Modifications to vehicles made them non-compliant	Several cars were modified prior to sale but failed to comply with the FMVSS regulations	Dealers will repurchase the vehicles.
3	March 5, 2021	21V142000	Tire failure can cause sudden air loss	The vehicles equipped with Continental tires can be over-cured	Dealers will replace the tires.
4	September 16, 2020	20V561000	Modifications to vehicles made them non-compliant	Several internal use vehicles were modified prior to sale but failed to comply with the FMVSS regulations	Dealers will repurchase the vehicles.
5	January 31, 2020	20V057000	Airbag sensors may be incorrectly manufactured	Incorrectly manufactured airbag sensors can prevent or disable airbag deployment	Dealers will replace the airbag crash sensors
6	May 22, 2019	19V389000	Headlights can be adjusted	The blocking cap that prevents headlight adjustment may not have been installed	Dealers will block the headlight horizontal adjustment
7	December 19, 2018	18V904000	Rear coil springs may fracture	Premature fracture can result in loss of vehicle control	Dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs
8	November 26, 2018	18V824000	No warning issued when key is left in ignition	The instrument cluster may fail to provide an audible warning when key is in ignition and the door is open	Dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster
9	August 20, 2018	18V537000	Air conditioner drain tube can cause airbag malfunction	The air conditioner drain tube can be twisted and drain water into airbag control module	Dealers will inspect and replace the air conditioner drain tube and airbag control module
10	August 15, 2018	18V536000	Brake caliper bracket bolts can be loose	The brake caliper bracket mounting bolts may be tightened insufficiently	Dealers will inspect and re-torque the bolts
11	June 7, 2018	18V380000	Seat belt buckles may be damaged by child seats	The center and adjacent outboard seat belt buckles can be damaged with certain child seats	Dealers will inspect and replace the center and left outboard seat belt buckles
12	June 6, 2018	18V375000	Passenger frontal airbag may deploy incorrectly	During a crash, the front passenger airbag may tear or not properly unfold	Dealers will replace the front passenger airbag
13	June 1, 2018	18V369000	Insufficient coating on brake caliper pistons	The brake caliper pistons may have incorrect coating and reduced braking performance	Dealers will bleed the brakes
14	May 2, 2018	18V284000	Fuel leak from the fuel tank	Due to a manufacturing error, fuel may leak from the tank	Dealers will replace the fuel tank
15	November 29, 2017	17V766000	Fuel leak from the fuel tank	Due to a manufacturing error, fuel may leak from the tank, failing to comply with FMVSS regulations	Dealers will replace the fuel tank

Should you buy the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas?

The Volkswagen Atlas has tried a lot to establish itself in the segment but has failed to do so in many aspects. Reliability has been a point that the car has never been able to do well as we can see from the whopping 239 complaints and 15 recalls. This is the exact kind of car we would advise people to stay away from and hence, despite the Volkswagen Atlas recall history, we would ask you to stay away from it. Instead, we would ask you to consider the Kia Telluride.